Kingdom High
by Eddie and Alex
Summary: Sora is a scholarship student at Kingdom High. In a blur of tournaments, new friends, and school rivalry, Sora wonders when he'll ever have time to do his homework. bit OOC, bit crossover with Final Fantasy in the subplots. And...Fencing!


Disclaimer: We, of Eddie and Alex, do not own the rights to any Kingdom Hearts characters or places. Those belong to Square Enix and Disney.

"Well, young man," the Headmaster said evenly. "You are to begin class tomorrow morning, so I suggest you memorize that schedule and have another student show you where the classes are located. Remember: you are here on scholarship. Any mess ups and you will be in danger of expulsion. That being said, I hope you will prove to be a wonderful addition to our school. The dorms are to your left, and I believe I provided you with a map?"

"Yes, sir," the brunette nodded.

"Excellent. Well, have a good afternoon. If you have any problems, please contact either me or the advisors. Good day, Mr. Inoue."

"Good day, sir," Sora smiled as he walked from the office.

The school was huge. It was the first thought that passed through Sora's spiky-haired head. Kingdom High was known for its intelligent students, as well as the wealthy and influential families who sent generation after generation to the school. Sora would be starting at the school a week late, having just been given the scholarship to attend. He hated leaving behind his friends at Destiny High, but his parents had insisted he take the scholarship. His things had arrived the day before, and as he glanced at the directions again, he headed toward the sophomore boys' dorms.

"Hey, it's the new kid," Ventus pressed his face against the glass of his dorm room window. "I was wondering if he was ever going to show up!"

"What new kid?" Riku asked as he flipped a page in the textbook on his lap.

"My new dorm buddy!" Ventus cheered. "Come on, take a look, Riku."

"You're going to drag me over there if I don't comply, aren't you?" Riku sighed.

"Yep!"

"Alright, let's have a look at this 'dorm buddy' of yours," Riku stood up and placed his homework aside. "Just, don't torture the kid when he gets here, okay?"

"I cannot promise that. What if he's boring?"

"Right. Wouldn't want poor little Venny to get bored," Riku chuckled. He glanced over Ven's head to see a spiky-haired teenager with a duffle bag over his shoulder. "Hold on a minute…that's not just any new kid. That's Sora!"

"Sora?" Ventus looked again. "Are you serious? That scrawny pipsqueak is Sora?"

"He's the same height as you," Riku observed. "That's him alright. Not many people have that hair."

"What hair?" Roxas stood in the doorway, his calm blue eyes resting on his twin. "I heard the scholarship student is arriving today. Is he in the same dorm as you, Ventus?"

"Uh-huh," Ventus nodded. "And Riku says the kid is Sora."

"The little fencing genius you met on the islands last summer?" Roxas asked.

"The same," Riku nodded. "Beat Kadaj in a fair duel, too."

"You've told us," Ventus grinned. "So, you think he'll try out for the Lords, then?"

"Tryouts were the first day, Ventus," Roxas muttered as he took out his homework. "The only way he can get in is by challenging a pre-existing member."

"Oh," Ventus shrugged. "Guess I forgot."

"Must be all that air between your ears," Riku teased. "Hey, Roxas, weren't Zexion and Axel supposed to be here?"

"Zexion had a challenge from a Midgar student. Axel is trying to explain why he and his girlfriend were missing during third class," Roxas shrugged. "He may join us, he may not."

"Zexion got another challenge? Wait, fencing challenge or that other thing he does?"

"It's called chess, Ventus," Roxas muttered. "And the Midgar student is Reeve, so you can guess which challenge it is."

"Hello?" a voice said outside the door. "Uh, my name is Sora Inoue, and um, I think this is my dorm." A smirk overtook Ventus's face as he leapt toward the door and flung it open. "Uh..hi…ooph," Sora landed on his back, with Ventus inspecting him from a cross-legged position on Sora's stomach.

"Crescent, you sure this is the kid?" Ventus looked over his shoulder.

"Back to surnames, are we, Ventus?" Riku said smoothly. "And get off of him, you idiot. You're crushing him."

"Are you saying I'm fat?"

"Riku?" Sora turned his head to see the silver-haired teen leaning against the doorframe. "Why didn't you tell me the school was this big?"

"Must have slipped my mind," Riku picked Ventus off of Sora and flung him at his twin. "Ignore the ditzy blonde, he's just excitable."

"Who are you calling ditsy?" Ventus huffed.

"Unfortunately for you, he lives in his dorm room as well. Just give him a cookie and he should shut up long enough for you to escape," Riku advised.

"Yeah, okay," Sora glanced at the two blondes, who would have been identical if Ven's hair wasn't a shade or two darker. "Do both of you live in this dorm?"

"No, I live a few doors down, and if my brother ever causes you too many problems, just come find me," Roxas smiled.

"Or you can always just throw him out the window," a new voice said, a smirk evident in the tone.

"Axel, you will not encourage people to harm my twin," Roxas snapped.

"But it's so much fun," Axel grinned as he let his backpack fall on Ventus's bed. "So, who're you?"

"Sora," the brunette greeted. He couldn't help but stare at the tear-shaped tattoos under Axel's wide, green eyes.

"Axel Flynn," Axel replied. "I'm guessing you arrived late because of scholarship issues, right?"

"Yeah," Sora nodded.

"Axel, do you remember that kid Riku told us about? The one from the islands?"

"The one that dueled Kadaj-the-terrible and won?"

"You told them?" Sora looked at Riku.

"Not everyday some islander can beat my twin," Riku shrugged. "It was the most interesting part of my vacation."

"It wasn't that interesting. He couldn't even block," Sora snorted. "Wait…he's at this school, too, isn't he?"

"Half the time," Riku nodded. "He's usually at the military academy doing something or other. Wants to take our father's job when he graduates. So, I don't think he'll come after you, Sora."

"That's good," Sora grinned. "So, what is there to do around here?"

"Homework," Ventus supplied. "Or practice."

"Practice for what?"

"Fencing tournaments," Roxas answered. "The Kingdom Lords are a top ranked team, so we go to every tournament."

"Well, if none of you are busy…"

"I'll duel," Axel stood easily. "Maybe you can help me beat Marly and take the captains seat from him."

"Axel, you hate practice," Roxas reminded him. "Which is why, despite your 'innate' skills, you are only the vice captain of the junior varsity."

"Oh shut it, blondie," Axel pouted.

"Oi! Tomato-head," a cross voice shouted into the room. Axel turned to see a woman standing in the doorframe. Two blonde spikes extended from her temples, giving her the look of a rather large bug.

"Hey, it's Mosquito," Axel teased. The woman scowled and stepped forward, throwing what appeared to be a black coat at Axel's face. "What the?"

"I heard we had a new kid," Larxene smiled. "And naturally, I assumed you would challenge said new kid. So, I brought your uniform because I'm so nice."

"And how did you hear about a new kid?" Roxas asked.

"A little birdy told me," Larxene smirked.

"Seifer," Roxas, Riku, and Ventus all said at the same time. Said blonde boy was lurking behind Larxene, his scarred face in a permanent smirk.

"Yes, my brother is very informative," Larxene nodded. "Now, what say we get down to the gym and see if the new kid is the fencing champion of Riku's stories."

"You invited them, didn't you?" Roxas accused as they walked toward the gymnasium.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Larxene hummed.

"If I see one varsity member," Roxas warned.

"You'll what? Punish me for it? You seem to forget who I am, Strife," Larxene sneered. "Father could kick you and your whelp of a twin out of this facility before you know what's happening."

"Oh, playing the 'Daddy is headmaster' card this early in the game, Mosquito?"

Axel smirked. He was wearing the black uniform, which somehow made him look lankier than the school uniform, if that was possible. Sora looked rather strange in the borrowed uniform of Ventus's. As Riku had pointed out, they were the same size, but the dark coloring made Sora look almost intimidating. Of course, Ventus had somehow brought out the kid in Sora and the two were giggling as they discussed something that sounded entirely foreign to Riku.

"Oh boys," Larxene called out into the gym as she flicked on the lights. "I brought fresh meat!"

"About time, woman," a thick accent called from within. "Why did you call us anyway?" Roxas's eyes narrowed as he recognized the voice of the varsity alternative, Luxord Shinra. True enough, he caught a flash of blonde hair and silver piercings from beneath the bleachers.

"Yes, do tell, sister dear," another, whinier voice echoed. "I had to scrap a very delicate experiment for this."

"Sorry, Vexen," Larxene pouted playfully. "But I thought you should witness this."

"Witness what?" a blue-haired teen appeared from beneath the bleachers. "Why is that boy dressed in our uniform?"

"It's my spare, Saix," Ventus said easily. "I couldn't let him ruin his uniform the first day here."

"Noted," Saix muttered. "But that doesn't answer why he is in the uniform? He isn't a member of either team."

"He's going to spar," Axel spoke up. "With me."

"You'll go too easy on him, Axel," Saix sneered. "Allow him to duel one of us instead," he indicated the gathering of males behind him. "We will judge his talents, not you."

"This isn't a tryout, Saix," Roxas observed. "Sora simply wished to duel."

"Ah, but he may tryout for our team next year," a smooth voice chided. "Why not test him now, to save him the trouble in the future?" The pink-haired teenager smirked down at them from atop the bleachers, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. "Unless you think you know better than me?"

"Of course not, Marluxia. You are the junior captain. You know how best to manage your team," Roxas sighed. "I simply wonder why Saix is so determined to have Sora fight a varsity member."

"A challenge brings out the best of a person's skills," Xemnas said evenly as he walked toward them. "In fact, I believe, given the stories Riku has been spreading, that Saix will be the perfect challenge for young Sora."


End file.
